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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29052009">we're all stories in the end (just make it a good one)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/buttercup_crown/pseuds/buttercup_crown'>buttercup_crown</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Children, Emotionally Constipated Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Gen, Jaskier going by Buttercup instead of Dandelion, Jaskier is Good with Kids, Mentioned Renfri | Shrike (The Witcher), One Shot, Self-Doubt, Short One Shot, Slice of Life, fluff?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:00:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,646</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29052009</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/buttercup_crown/pseuds/buttercup_crown</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Occasionally there are bold ones, too, encouraged by Jaskier’s antics, who dare sneak up to Geralt, choking up a question such as “Is it true you beat a whole army of elves by yourself?” and “May I feed Roach some apples, please?” or even just “Can you show us your silver sword?” with thin tongues and trembling voices and clenched fists and pale faces. They are so small, he thinks, so vulnerable and so hungry for magic. No wonder they’re afraid of people like him. (No wonder they adore Jaskier.)<br/></p><hr/><p>
  <em>Jaskier has a way with children. Geralt very much does not: They're scared of him and quite frankly, he's not exactly fond of them either. And even if he were: His reputation is pretty great at driving people away. They grow to love Buttercup's tales of the White Wolf though: Maybe there's more humanity to him than their parents let on. And maybe Geralt learns a thing to two about making friends himself.</em>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>we're all stories in the end (just make it a good one)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I couldn't get this idea out of my head and this story's been sitting in my drafts forever now! So anyway, here we are now, short and soft. enjoy! (and maybe let me know what you think &lt;3 )</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div>
  <p>Jaskier just has a way with children. At first Geralt thinks it’s only about cosying up to their parents, the way he winks in their direction, gives a little wave, a charming smile – his bard does have a reputation after all. It takes a while for that to fall by the wayside. Eventually Geralt starts to realise though that Jaskier genuinely enjoys spending time around those little brats. And that they genuinely do like him – not just for virtue of him getting along with their adults.</p>
  <p>When Geralt stops in towns on his own the little ones will eagerly crane their necks from behind their parents’ coattails trying to catch a look at one of those infamous witchers. Despite all their curiosity they never make a peep though, never let go of their parents: A witcher is exciting but he sure is scary, too. Geralt has always been feared, always been avoided. Adults and children alike, more often than not even the cats and dogs on the roadside can’t be arsed to take a liking to him. It’s not much of a surprise – he is the monster of all their tales after all, the shadow that hunts them when they’re not home before dark, the villain of their stories. Being used to it never makes it hurt any less.<br/>
But Jaskier! Oh, with Jaskier by his side- people are almost friendly to them. They’re certainly more decent than Geralt is used to: It takes him some time to appreciate but it is a nice change of pace indeed. The bard just has a way of making people feel at ease – even around a witcher. </p>
  <p>While he is busy doing their shopping (Jaskier can hardly be bothered to carry anything but his lute with him and Geralt wouldn’t for the life of him trust him to plan and buy for days or even weeks on the road), tiredly negotiating the price of getting his saddle fixed or Jaskier’s poor boots mended or some fresh bread or a bag of root vegetables- while he’s busy to prepare them for travels the bard usually sits in the square nearby, strumming his lute, striking up a light-hearted song. Singing to gather some coin from the adults, sure, but more often than not he enjoys making the childrens’ eyes glitter with excitement. (It’s his very own brand of magic, one that Geralt can’t help but envy.) None of his songs about battle and blood and demise and distress – those are reserved for the inns, for late night tales, for patrons who know how to treat their entertainer to an ale or a plate of dinner – but songs about adventure and heroics instead, about dreams and conquered nightmares. </p>
  <p>He sits with them, patiently, gladly accepting braided flower chains and excitedly encouraging their dreams and pondering of the world outside the gates. He tells them about the Very True and Wonderful Adventures of The White Wolf with eyes bright as a conspiracy as he lowers his voice, only entrusting his tales to the bravest children around (which is all of them naturally, he can’t help it if they just so happen to be the children of the boldest town they ever passed through). And they hang on to his every word.<br/>
If his stories turn too dark, the little ones huddling together, more and more frightened, looking over their shoulders for parents or monsters, Jaskier quickly makes sure to work in a turn, a little joke – not seldomly about his own big mouth or Geralt’s stupidly stoic demeanor (and it really is stupid at times but he only ever notices when Jaskier talks about it like that) – and soon enough they relax again, excited shrieks of laughter returning at the next twist of the story.</p>
  <p>Occasionally there are bold ones, too, encouraged by Jaskier’s antics, who dare sneak up to Geralt, choking up a question such as “Is it true you beat a whole army of elves by yourself?” and “May I feed Roach some apples, please?” or even just “Can you show us your silver sword?” with thin tongues and trembling voices and clenched fists and pale faces. They are so small, he thinks, so vulnerable and so hungry for magic. No wonder they’re afraid of people like him. (No wonder they adore Jaskier.)
It’s a quite strange feeling each time they approach him. Each time that they swallow just a bit of their fear, each time they overcome a bit of the horror stories their parents and siblings tell them. Each time they take heart and trust in the kind bard with the pretty lute and the bold tales.<br/>
And each time Jaskier will sit back, happily watching, waving his hands or winking or smiling, putting on his most encouraging demeanor. <em>Go ahead,</em> he seems to say, <em>no reason to be afraid.</em> Geralt is never sure whether his encouragement is meant for the children or him.</p>
  <p>The first few times Geralt takes the plunge things like to go wrong spectactularly. Maybe it’s the way he speaks to them, coarse voice and loud words, maybe it’s the naturalness with which he suddenly unsheathes his sword or the shock of surprise when he picks up one of them to let them sit on the post to feed his horse.
He doesn’t even realize his mistake until the little one is already in tears, calling out for Buttercup, struggling against his hold, face all scrunched up and blotched with sudden fear freezing their blood. (The only thing worse than their breaking voices are the tears welling up, tears of sudden fear they can’t fight back the moment they run off again.).<br/>
The first time it happens he almost drops the child, shocked at their reaction and no less shaken up than the small figure Jaskier comfortingly pats. “He didn’t mean to scare you,” he explains quietly, “he’s just really not used to being around brave children like you.” He leads them away again, distracting them with another anecdote.</p>
  <p>Later, when they’re back on their own again, he’ll wrap his arms around Geralt in nearly the same manner: “You’ll get the hang of it eventually,” he says. He’s so sure that some day they will appreciate him. Some day he’ll be welcome, too. It’s a nice story. Some times Geralt is almost sure, too.<br/>
And no matter how many times he berates him for siccing children on him, the bard never stops. Or maybe he does but the children don’t. Either way, they keep coming and Jaskier keeps his arms open for shaken and insecure people. He never stops whispering encouragements to both.</p>
  <p>Over time Geralt does become better at it: He learns to soften his voice. To always, always ask before touching them with his coarse hands and strong arms. To crouch down and patiently explain. To talk to children the way they are: Anything but small adults, anything but the kind of humans he needs to be wary of.<br/>
It doesn’t take long after that and the little ones start trusting him, too. They don’t like him he doesn’t think, and the wariness never quite leaves their shoulders either. But they stick around and they listen. The careful grins that spread on their faces, eyes as wide as the moon when he does show them his sword, small fingers carefully hovering above the blade (“You can look but you can’t touch,” he tells them sternly, “or it’ll slice them clean off.” A bit of fear isn’t such a bad thing after all, he thinks, especially when handling big sharp swords fit for monster slaying). Even those most careful smiles are more than enough pay-off. </p>
  <p>He always makes sure to tell them about the brooch at the hilt, too: The story of how violent revenge is never the answer. How blind fury is never worth the blood is costs. The story of how sometimes you’ll make a choice and whether it’s right or wrong, it’ll just keep haunting you – “it’s not always a bad thing to remember our mistakes, even if they’re quite tragic sometimes” Jaskier chimes in, kind voice and teaching face. “Because if we don’t remember our weaknesses, how will we grow?” Geralt likes to think they’ll remember this lesson but the moment he puts his sword away they’re back again to begging him to let them feed Roach some of the fruit and bread they snuck from their parents, their lesson gone with the wind.<br/>
Of course he lets them feed her. He’ll even show them how they need to stretch their hands, palms up, palms straight, so that the brave witcher horse doesn’t accidentally nibble on their fingers instead.</p>
  <p>When their parents come back around, their purchases and trading done, arms loaded with supplies, they excitedly run to tell them all about a silly bard named Buttercup who tells the best stories and a scary witcher named Geralt who’s not actually that scary at all.<br/>
“The others were afraid and didn’t want to talk to him,” some of them will say, “but <em>I</em> wasn’t! I even fed his horse! She’s called Roach (and he loves her very much).”</p>
  <p>Of course none of the adults ever look particularly happy about any of those interactions – not even Jaskier’s smile and smalltalk can steal the caution off their faces, can make them slow down or spare a coin as they drag their children home, chiding them in hushed voices thinking the travellers won’t hear. More often than not the little ones will still turn around, their eyes searching for Jaskier first and Roach second. The children wave their little hands to them and more often than not Geralt will wave his big hand back.<br/>
It’s nice not to be feared, even if for just a few hours. Even if most adults still don’t like him. The witcher does have a reputation after all.</p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>you're absolutely welcome to visit me on tumblr <a href="https://fishmongers-son.tumblr.com">@fishmongers-son</a> to leave a review, just talk or even drop a prompt :3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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